


Wake Me Up...(before you go)

by screechyschreech



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vikings, Angst and Tragedy, Child Death, Child Murder, Death, Heavy Angst, Hehehe, I Blame Tumblr, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I woke up and chose violence, Kattegat (Vikings), M/M, Original Character Death(s), Please Don't Kill Me, Sad Ending, Sorry Not Sorry, does this make sense? probs not, me hating harald finehair, sad!aethelred, sad!bjorn, tumblr is to blame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:33:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29708232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/screechyschreech/pseuds/screechyschreech
Summary: In which Harald Finehair commits an unforgivable act towards Bjorn Ironside
Relationships: Aethelred (Vikings)/Original Female Character(s), Aethelred/Bjorn (Vikings), Bjorn (Vikings)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 2





	Wake Me Up...(before you go)

**Author's Note:**

> hey, ya'll so this is tumblr's fault. anywho, this is an au where bjorn/aethelred are together, and they adopted a child from england, her name is solfrid. she's a teenager now. i put the warnings in the tags, but as a final warning:
> 
> this will contain DEATH, GRIEF, GORE, CHILD DEATH. if you don't wanna read about that, please don't read this. please. take care of yourself
> 
> (imagine octavia blake as solfrid, k?)

Solfrid walked the streets of Kattegat, clutching her cloak to her chest. It was early, the sun was just barely peeking out over the seashore, so darkness was lightly over the city. She liked early morning walks. Especially when it was warm out. Not too hot, as it is in the afternoon, not too cold, as it is in the nighttime, but just right, as it is in the crack of dawn. There was a slight wind in the air. Solfrid liked this. It felt as if the entirety of Kattegat all belonged to her; and her only. The feeling of everyone else asleep in their beds, and only she was up comforted her. She was alone. Not lonely, but alone. 

_But she wasn't_. Behind her, behind the bushes and fences, was a man. A 'frienemy' of her father's, Bjorn Ironside. Harald Finehair. Harald and Bjorn had a...complicated relationship to say the least. She was on decent terms with Harald, and his brother, Halfdan. She knew that Halfdan was close to Bjorn, but she couldn't say the same for Harald. Recently, they've been getting into disagreements about who-knows-what. After their most recent argument, Harald said 'I'm going to get you good, Ironside.' Solfrid was there, she heard him nice and clear, but she didn't know what that meant. She asked her other father, Aethelred (who had a romantic relationship with Bjorn) about it, and he told her not to worry about their business. So she didn't. She figured it was normal. She'd seen tons of disagreements in her life, she was used to it. So she brushed it off like it was nothing.

Harald followed her, not making a sound. He had two knives with him. He took a deep breath and continued following her. She walked all the way to the shore, and onto the docks, with Harald following close behind (however, she was taking her sweet time, which irked Harald). She stood on the docks, looking out into the ocean, which by now, the sun was well peeking over the sealine. She smiled at the beautiful sight before her, something that happened very rarely. Even Harald took in the beauty for a moment. It seemed the whole world was silent and abandoned. The quiet sent chills down Harald's spine, as he quietly pulled a knife from his pocket. He paused. Contemplating his decision. No turning back. You can't bring back the dead. 

Slowly, and quietly, he crept up and grabbed Solfrid. Immediately putting his hand over her mouth, so her screams were muffled. He turned her around, and her eyes met his. He stabbed her in the side, to catch her off guard. His hand was removed from her mouth, so Solfrid let out a grunt. There was a struggle, and eventually, Harald got Solfrid on the ground. In a swift movement, he stabbed straight into her heart. The face Solfrid made was a punch in the nose. A face of shock, and even fear. She looked up at him, and the regret trickled in, ever so slowly. 

"Harald..." Solfrid managed to choke out. "Where's my father-" Solfrid said, but blood started pouring out of her mouth. Her hands were shaking so much, that Harald squeezed them to try and calm her down. He stared at her quickly dying form and took the other knife. He pressed the blade to her neck and sliced it across her throat in a quick jerk. Solfrid let out a bone-chilling gasp, that made Harald part his lips in shock. Seconds later, Solfrid's life ended.

Harald bowed his head and stared at the deceased young woman. He gently removed her cloak and put it in the water. Standing up, he threw both knives into the water. After a moment, another quiet moment, Harald darts away, back into Kattegat. 

Soldfrid lay there, on the dock. Alone. Cold. So cold, even the warm weather couldn't help her. Blood dripping down her neck, and chest, and side, forming a pool of blood only getting bigger. Blood dripped off the side of the dock, and into the water, making a light _drip drip drip_ sound. The sun was now over the sealine, and the morning arrived quickly. Kattegat awoke from her nightly slumber and began to do their daily routines. They went outside. One woman saw Solfrid laying on the ground. Which was odd, considering you don't normally lay on a dock. When she noticed the blood, she let out a shriek, which caught the attention of others around her, specifically, Lagertha. 

Lagertha's mouth dropped open at the sight, at the sight of her granddaughter laying dead. She knelt down, and stroked her face, before getting up, and racing to wherever her son was.

_**\- - -** _

Bjorn's eyes got wide after hearing the news Lagertha told him. Aethelred was creeping behind him and watching Bjorn send him a look, before dashing off into the streets. Aethelred was confused. He walked up to Lagertha, who just hugged him. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He just woke up, but everything seemed to be rushing by. Lagertha didn't have to repeat the words 'go follow Bjorn', for Aethelred to do so. 

Bjorn moves people aside, and he sees his worst nightmare. He rushes to Solfrid, practically sliding on his knees (which will definitely leave scratches, but that doesn't matter). He stares at the girl and gasps. 

"Solfrid...?" Bjorn croaks out, tears rushing to his eyes. He gently lifts Solfrid into his arms and holds her face. "Solfrid?" He whispers. "Solfrid." He says. "S-Solfrid. Solfrid...Solfrid are you there? Can you hear me? Darling...Solfrid. Solfrid, this isn't funny...Solfrid?" Bjorn begged, pressing Solfrid's forehead to his. Aethelred pushed his way through the crowd and paused when he saw Bjorn. "SOLFRID!" Bjorn cried. His scream could be heard across Kattegat, and possibly across the world, as a faint whisper. Aethelred raced to Solfrid, just as Bjorn did. He knelt beside Bjorn, who was shaking. 

"Is she...oh god..." Aethelred whispered, noticing Solfrid's wounds. Bjorn by now was letting out loud sobs while clutching Solfrid's body in his arms. He let out a scream again, burying his head into her chest. He was screaming Solfrid's name as if it would bring her back. He soon became hysterical, he wept over his daughter's body and screamed at everyone; at the world for taking her away. Aethelred gently took her body and noticed her eyes were still open. Taking one final look into her eyes, he gently closed them. He had racing thoughts, but one stuck out to him, which was the one that told him to close her eyes. He sighed and began crying, just like Bjorn. 

"WHO DID THIS?!" Bjorn screamed, turning towards the crowd. "WHO DID THIS?!" He repeated after nobody answered. Aethelred looked away, and down at Solfrid. If you took away her wounds, she'd look asleep. Nice and peaceful. Lagertha slowly walked towards Aethelred and put a hand on his shoulder. Harald was at the front of the crowd, looking down in shame. The feeling of regret hit him so hard. He locked eyes with Bjorn, and he was sure that's all Bjorn needed, to know that Harald did it.

"Aethelred-" Lagertha started but was interrupted by Bjorn jerking around and picking up Solfrid. He carried her out into the streets, going somewhere. Aethelred was still kneeling on the ground, where his daughter just was. His head was in his hands, and he silently wept. Lagertha knew exactly how he felt, and got flashbacks to Gyda. How she found out her only daughter, her eldest child was dead. How putting her on the burning pyre felt. "Aethelred, come with me. Let's go." She whispered, taking his hand. She took him to follow Bjorn, and eventually, they found him screaming at the healers.

"We are very sorry...but there's nothing we can do. She's dead, Bjorn Ironside." A healer explained, which sent Bjorn into a full-on rage.

"No, she's not! There's no way she's gone. No way. That's not possible...she can't be gone... _can she_?" He whispered, the cracks evident in his voice. The healer nodded. Bjorn fell to his knees and wept again. "No..." He whispered. Somehow, Lagertha and Aethelred managed to take Bjorn to his home, and sit him down. Lagertha managed to calm him down enough so that his breathing was steady, and with a kiss on his forehead, and after pouring him a cup of wine, she left them alone for a little while. Aethelred paced the room for a few moments and then stared at Bjorn, who was gripping his cup, with still shaking hands.

"It was Harald. I know it was." Bjorn whispered. Aethelred furrowed his brows and wiped his eyes. Bjorn stared out into nothing and took another sip of wine.

"How do you know that? It could've been anyone." Aethelred replied blankly. Bjorn cleared his throat and sat straighter.

"You could see it in his eyes. He did it. He killed her." Bjorn said. Aethelred thought for a moment. Bjorn was right. Harald had indeed killed their daughter. An unforgivable act.

"I blame you," Aethelred says bitterly, staring at the ground. Bjorn scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"How can you blame me?" Bjorn spat, looking up at Aethelred. The two men stared at each other for a few moments, when finally Aethelred scoffed back.

"Because you let Harald back into Kattegat," Aethelred snapped. "She could've died another way, she could've been here with us now. But you," Aethelred shouted, pushing a chair down. "You just had to make that stupid decision! Look what it cost us!" Aethelred screamed. Bjorn snapped up like lightning and threw the cup of wine down. 

"You cannot blame me-" Bjorn shouted but was interrupted by Aethelred slapping him.

"I do blame you." Aethelred hissed. Tears started forming in his eyes, once again. "Our...our daughter-" He managed to choke out, before sinking to his knees, sobbing. Bjorn was kneeling beside him in a second, wrapping his arms around him, and bringing him closer to his chest. He let Aethelred punch, beat, and shove at his chest all he wanted, because he knew they were in the same ship, grieving the same thing. Once Aethelred seemed done, Bjorn pulled him closer and hugged him while Aethelred sobbed. Bjorn started crying too while squeezing Aethelred tightly.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...I-I will fix it." Bjorn whispered. Aethelred looked up at him with teary, red eyes, and shook his head.

"No. You can't." Aethelred whispered back, with his voice cracking. Bjorn sighed, and shook his head.

"I can." He said, and after noticing Aethelred's confused face, he pressed his forehead to his. "I'll kill him."

_**\- - -** _

It's been a year. Solfrid's been gone for a year. They've learned to live with it. They did all that can be done. Harald is dead. She's buried. There's nothing else to do, other than to grieve. It's still hard. Bjorn stays up some nights, regretting his choice to allow Harald back into Kattegat. Aethelred still cries himself to sleep sometimes. Bjorn still brings things to Solfrid's grave. Aethelred still curses himself for letting this happen. Bjorn still wishes the gods won't ever care for Harald or his line. Aethelred still hopes the gods are taking care of Solfrid.

It still hurts. Terribly. This reality is still something out of their greatest nightmare. They wanted more time. Perhaps just one more night. For dinner. They'd eat, talk about what Solfrid would do when she gets older, poke fun at stories of Bjorn as a child, reflect on the memories. Just more time. But every day, no matter how badly it hurts, just like Lagertha always said...

... _life goes on. And in my dreams, we are always together._


End file.
